Game apparatus



April 1, E. A HERB 2,236,729

GAME APTEARATUS Filed May 12, 1939 Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Edward A. Herr, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 12, 1939, Serial No. 273,352

3 Claims.

This invention relates to game-boards and, more particularly, togame-boards utilized in games involving the projection and impact ofspheres such as marbles or the like.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a playingsurface for such gameboards having elastic properties such that bouncingof the spheres as a result of impact is substantially eliminated,thereby adapting small boards for use in playing marble games of varioussorts. More specifically, it is the object of the invention to produce aplaying surface which is elastically dead and gives substantially norebound of a sphere even when forcibly impacted thereagainst.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a game-board for usein playing marble games simulating the games played upon the ordinarypool or billiard table.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. l is a plan View of a game-board constructed in accordance with myinvention, a portion of the playing surface being broken away to showthe underlying supports therefor;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective showing the mounting of one of thepockets; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing thearrangement of the playing surface adjacent the pockets,

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the playing surface perse comprises a sheet ID of unelastic material. Few substances aresatisfactory for such sheets, but among these substances I havediscovered that felt base floor coverings, such as disclosed in thepatent to Frank B. Foster, No. 1,249,734, granted December 11, 1917, forRug and the process of making the same, and its counterparts linoleumand heavy formed from felt or some similar substance. 5

The underlying surface may be either the surface of a table or othersupport upon which the playing surface is arranged, or I may provide asupporting backing sheet M of stiff cardboard, or some analogoussubstance.

The playing surface may be defined by an upstanding wall l5 and in thegame-board at present illustrated and intended for use in playing gamessimulating those played upon a pool table, the wall I5 is madesectional, the spaces between the sections defining entrances I6 topockets IT. The pockets I I may be conveniently formed by wire cages andare connected with the adjacent ends of the wall sections by very lightsprings l8 which are attached to the wall sections and have eyes l9receiving angular tips 2!! formed upon a member of the cage or pocketl1. playing surface adjacent the pockets is preferably slightlyelevated, as mo-re clearly shown in Fig. 5, an additional batten 2|being utilized to produce this elevation. By adopting this construction,any tendency of the spheres 22 to roll into the pocket by reason of someslight motion of the playing surface itself is eliminated. The innersurface of the wall sections is preferably equipped with a cushioningmaterial such as sponge rubber, indicated at 23.

I have found that a playing surface constructed in the manner abovedescribed has substantially no inherent elasticity and that balls willnot fly from this surface due to impact against one another, or due toimpact against the surface itself even though the impact is severe,

I have also found that by attaching the wire cages [1 to the playingsurface through the light springs IS the impact of the spheres againstthe wire cage is cushioned and the tendency to rebound is substantiallyeliminated and at least reduced to such a point that the shoulder 24presented by the edge of the playing surface per se and of itssupporting battens is sufficient to prevent return of the spheres to theplaying surface. The board may, of course, be equipped with levellingdevices such as adjustable screws 25, and may be, additionally, equippedwith small levels 26 to indicate its position. I

Since the construction illustrated is but one of many forms which thegame-board may assume, and since the structure is otherwise capable ofconsiderable modification, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself to the structure herein shown except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a game board for use in games involving the projection andimpactof spheres, a play- Theing surface composed of a top sheet of soft,compressible and elastically-dead material possessing the property ofresuming its original condition slowly after impact; a rigid backingsheet for said top sheet; and soft and elastically-dead battens securedto said backing sheet and disposed between the top and backing sheets inspaced relation for supporting portions of said top sheet with portionsof said top sheet between said spaced battens free from contacttherewith, said top sheet and battens providing a playing surface fromwhich the spheres will not bounce or rebound when impacted thereagainst.

2. In a game board for use in games involving the projection and impactof spheres, a playing surface composed of a top sheet, a rigid backingsheet for said top sheet, battens disposed between the top and backingsheets in spaced relation and supporting said top sheet, and anupstanding wall surrounding said playing surface and having an openingtherein defining the mouth of a pocket at the edge of said playingsurface, the ends of the battens adjacent said pocket being of greaterheight than the remainder of the battens, whereby the playing surfaceadjacent said pocket is slightly elevated with respect to the remainderof said playing surface.

3. In a. game board for use in games involving the projection and impactof spheres, a playing surface composed of a top sheet of soft,compressible and elastically-dead material possessing the property ofresuming its original condition slowly after impact; soft andelasticallydead batten disposed beneath the sheet in spaced relation forsupporting portions of said sheet with portions of said sheet betweensaid spaced battens free from contact therewith; and an upstanding wallsurrounding said playing surface and having an opening defining themouth of a pocket at the edge of said playing surface, the ends of thebatten adjacent said pocket being of greater height than the remainderof the battens, whereby the playing surface adjacent said pocket isslightly elevated with respect to the remainder of said playing surface.

EDWARD A. HERR.

